Trophy Hunter Darren Carter Disowned by His Daughter in Viral Video
The daughter of now-infamous trophy hunter Darren Carter is speaking out. In a brave no-holds-barred video posted to YouTube, 19-year-old Sydney Carter expresses her disgust and anger at her estranged father’s actions.
“That just makes me sick,” she said. “Like, I refuse to call him my dad anymore. Who does that? I’ll never understand people like that, that take pride in shooting a beautiful animal like a lion. … [K]nowing you trophy hunt beautiful animals like lions who are slowly getting endangered is just, it’s too much. I’m someone who loves animals and I never want anyone to hurt them. To know that my own father does that, I don’t even consider you my dad anymore.”
It’s clear which member of this family is genuinely courageous. PETA hopes that Sydney Carter continues to speak out against cruelty and injustice.
The following was originally published on July 16, 2019:
Most people like to share a smooch with their sweetie while enjoying a romantic dinner, walking through a picturesque garden, clinking glasses of champagne, taking a dip in the ocean, or gazing at a starry sky. Two trophy hunters apparently prefer to kiss over the dead bodies of animals they’ve just gunned down.
Darren and Carolyn Carter from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, were on a hunting trip in South Africa when they decided to take a picture of themselves snuggling and kissing next to the body of a large awe-inspiring lion they had just shot to death for fun.
Media reports indicate that the lion was bred in captivity and imprisoned in a small enclosure on a canned hunting ranch, making him an easy mark. The couple, who operate a taxidermy business, said that they typically spend their vacations “either hunting or going to taxidermy seminars.”
As the disturbing photo continues to spread across social media, both the couple’s Instagram account and the Facebook page of the tour operator, Legelela Safaris, seem to have been deleted. The now-infamous picture has spurred renewed calls for bans on trophy hunting, bans on the importation of body parts taken from animal victims, more legal protection for endangered species, and the closure of canned hunting ranches.
The vast majority of people oppose trophy hunting. We must continue to make our voices heard and force businesses and lawmakers to listen. You can help by urging UPS to stop importing hunting trophies today:
